To Heaven in 2011?

What if Jesus returns in 2011? What if my life ends in 2011?
With these possibilities in mind, I want to enter this New Year with the following resolutions:

1. I will give thanks to God, regardless of my circumstances
I Thessalonians 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances; or this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

2. I will pray, and then pray again, and then pray some more
I Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing"

3. I will pursue joy, rejoicing every day for who God is and what He has done
Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice."

4. I will not be ashamed of the one thing that can change a person's eternity
Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

5. I will make my last days all about God and His glory
Acts 20:24 - "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

6. I will discipline my children, in love, and train them in God's ways
Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

7. I will not boast about myself, but I will boast about God
Jeremiah 9:23,24 - "Thus says the LORD: Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

8. I will keep singing new songs about God and point people to Him
Psalm 40:3 - "He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD."

9. I will forget the past and press ahead to what God has called me to do, for His glory, in the future
Philippians 3:12-14 - "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, i press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

10. I will fear God and strive to obey Him, in everything
Ecclesiastes 12:13 -"The end of the mater; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

Celebrating a birthday at Christmas time

Yesterday, we celebrated our youngest twin's birthday. I asked them if they liked having their birthday so close to Christmas. And although all the other children agreed that it is perferrable to have their birthday closer to the middle of the year, the two who were celebrating their birthday thought different. They both said that they really enjoyed celebrating their birthday so close to Jesus' birthday (that is: the celebration of it anyway)!

That made me wonder what Jesus is thinking right now. The celebration of His birthday is traditionally on Christmas Day; and yet it really take 2nd or 3rd or last place to all the other celebrations going on at the same time (and I'm not talking about my twin's birthday). Everywhere you look, even before Thanksgiving time, peopel began celebrating this time of year. And outside of some of the music played on a Christian radio station, the celebration of Jesus' birth is somewhat confined inside church walls.

I have noticed that the most popular and even most enjoyable TV movies at this time of year, are all about the power of belief. But, it is not the power of believing in Jesus' birth and what He did for us. It is, of course, the power and importance of believing in Santa Claus, though noone over 8 is actually trying to say that he even exists. How does Jesus feel about this? The celebration of His birth, which changed the world, is overshadowed by a fat, fictional gifter of greed. His gifts are all about filling some temporary desire in us, which will not make us happy for long. Jesus gave the gift of Himself, which can bring eternal life.

Then, I think of Christian homes, including mine. It is pretty easy to conform to the thinking of our world's system, and practically forget about what we are to be celebrating. I find it challenging to keep our family's focus on the right things, and the right person, this time of year. I would be interested in hearing what you do to make sure we are celebrating the birthday of the Savior of the world, most of all. Here are a few things we are doing:

• Attending a church each week that is celebrating Jesus' birth
• Attending a Christmas Eve service that keeps the right focus
• Constantly reminding our children that this is not the time for selfishness or greed; but to give, and to serve others
• Participating in a service project, where we purchased gifts for a needy family and then delivered them personally
• Reading a story, during Advent, each night. This particular story is called Tabitha's Travels, which is the 3rd book in a series we have used the past few years. They are very interesting stories, that tie in fiction with the truth of what happened 2,000 years ago with Jesus' birth. It serves as our family devotional during this time of year
• On Christmas morning, having a time of worship before we open all the gifts

What do you do, to remember the "reason for the season"?

Surprised by the Song of Solomon - part 4

Even though I finished preaching through the Song of Solomon last month, and have blogged about it 3 times now, I still have something that surprises me about the book. No matter how hard people have tried to make the book something other than what it truly is, it still remains a God breathed book, describing the intimate (including sexual) relationship between a husband and his wife.

Many have tried to allegorize the book, making it all about the church and Christ, even though there is nothing within the book to make us think that; or anywhere in Scripture, referring to the content of the Song of Solomon as an allegory of this. I read that some have tried to say that the sachet of myrhh lying between the woman's breasts was a reference to the shikineh glory of God, with 2 cherubim, angels, resting over the ark of the covenant! Others have said the reference to breasts is a reference to the Old and New Testaments, the pure milk of the Word. And others have said that the breasts stand for faith and love.

When I preached about this, I told the people that I was going to take a really wild, extreme stance on this. I was suggesting that when the Song of Solomon used the term "breasts", that it was actually talking about...breasts! Isn't that crazy? Scripture uses a ton of figurative language, and so does the Song of Solomon, but we still believe in the literal approach to Scripture, and do our best to interpret the words as the original authors intended. Let's face it: this book does include a lot of talk about sex.

And so, the final thing I will mention about what surprised me about this book is just that: the incredibly intimate talk and references to sexual activity. But, that is a good thing...no...a great thing! God created sex and sex is good, and right and proper...as long as we utilize it within the boundaries God as set. And He makes it clear that those boundaries are defined as: the marriage relationship. "Don't awaken love" the Song of Solomon says, until the time is right; and that time is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. Solomon eventually blew it, as he added 700 wives and they turned his heart away from God. But, we don't have to do the same thing.

If we will allow it, the Word of God, and especially the Song of Solomon, can get us talking to our spouses and children about sex, improve our sex lives; and pursue the glory of God...and that should not surprise us. In fact, God promised that every book, every word of the Scripture is here, not just for knowledge sake; but so that we can grow spiritually and be more complete:

II Timothy 3:16,17 - "All Scripture is God breathed; and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Surprised by the Song of Solomon - part 3

I have already shared how my surprise at how challenging it was to preach the Song of Solomon - most challenge message series I have ever had! And I have shared how surprising it was that I had to convince people that this was an inspired book of the Bible that needed to be preached, and practiced! In fact, it was so challenging that some admitted to me later that they attended another church during this series because they just couldn't handle it. Now, before you think I was up there describing every sexual nuance, listen to the messages first! I empathize with those who struggled because I did as well. But, I'm not sure it would have worked out very well if I skipped church during that series with them!

Another thing that surprised at, somewhat in contrast to the previous entry, was the positive feedback I received. I don't know if it was because people knew how much I was struggling through the series and they wanted to encourage me, or if this series really just had that great of impact on people,even though many others were struggling incredibly through it. Once again, I cannot remember a message series where the responses were so divided.

I will give you a sampling of the positive responses I received:

• "your preaching from the Song of Solomon has helped [us] alot. I would be lying if I said things have been easy for us this year, but we have continued to work at it, and your messages each week, while I know have been very difficult for you, have gotten us back where we used to be."
• We [mostly my wife] has had several talks with [our daughter] over the past year, leading up to this series. So, she is fully aware of this topice and it is perfect for her to hear it from you and the church with how God is pleased with this type of relationship. We want to encourage a positive approach to sex and marriage. It has been great for [my wife] and I to over the cores of a good marriage relationship. All that to say THANK YOU for doing this series... I'm sure it has been "hard" or "wierd" but it is much needed to come from the church; and I wish my church, as a kid, would have had such a good approach and public proclamation of this truth..."
• "I can't tell you what a wonderful renaissance [my wife] and I are experiencing in our relationship. After [many] years of marriage, it is like we are falling in love all over again. I attribute this to several things...Most recently, your message series on the Song of Solomon has been a blessing as well. We have experienced a new found love life that is better than I could have ever imagined. I know that it was not a coincidence that you were led to preach this series at this time of our marriage..."

I received other notes, e-mails, texts, and kind words, that have encouraged me throughout this series. My favorite text, after a particularly challenging, direct message on the great gift of sex, was this: "thanks for the great afternoon!" It surprised me, made me laugh, and smile, and caused me to say "thank you" God for not letting me get out of preaching this very important, practical book!

Surprised by the Song of Solomon- part 2

In my last post, I wrote about how challenging it was to preach through the Song of Solomon. It was the most difficult book I have preached through, up until now; and the fact that there is so much disagreement among biblical scholars is one of the main reasons. Another surprise for me in this study was the challenge to get people to believe how important this study is. It seems that many people assumed that this book was not for them. The misunderstanding is, I think, that the Song of Solomon is a sex book; and unless you are married and having sexual difficulties, that it is not for you. I can understand the hesitation.

But, what surprised me was that I had to emphasize theme verses that were not even in the Song of Solomon:
II Timothy 3:16,17 - "All Scripture is inspired by God; and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. That the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." Our church is known for its stance on the inspiration of the Scriptures; and I would put our people up against almost anyone in a contest of Bible knowledge. However, we all seem to struggle with accepting this book as God-breathed; at least on the same level as all the other books of the Bible.

Could it be, that this collection of Hebrew love songs from over 3,000 years ago, applies to my life right now? Can it really teach me what God wants me to know? Can it really correct me from a wrong path? Can it really train me to live God's ways, today? Can it really lead toward spiritual maturity? The answer is: YES! But, it was a continual battle for me and the rest of our church family, to come to Song of Solomon, take it all in, and expect that there would be something specific for ALL of us to apply.

This is nothing against our church family. We are one of very few churches, I am finding out, that would even consider preaching this particular God-breathed book in morning services. But, throughout the series, working so hard at convincing the audience that this is worth our time, was a surprising development I didn't expect. Now, that it is over, I can say: It was worth it. Just don't ask me to do it again!

Suprised by the Song of Solomon

I have studied the Bible all of my life. I have been a student of it in Bible College and Seminary, going into great depth. I have taught from it in many different places, using much of the Bible to do so. And I have preached for a couple of decades, many times preaching through entire books of the Bible. I don't say this because I have better knowledge than others or am a better preacher than others. I rank pretty low on both accounts. I say it because it means I have had all kinds of experiences hearing and communicating the Word of God over my lifespan. I could give you a brief summary of every book of the Bible; and I love the Scriptures with all my heart: because they reveal the God who loves me, and with whom I am growing in relationship.

With all of that said, there is only one book of the Bible that I can say has truly surprised me. I admit that I have not preached through the entire book of Revelation, and I realize that it is full of figurative language and holds many challenges. There are many books of the Bible which are very challenging to study, let alone communicate. But, it is this one book, which I just finished preaching through, that has surprised me, while at the same time challenging every aspect of the preaching process for me.

Studying the book was especially difficult, with almost every resource available disagreeing as to what the book means, in almost every verse! Then, trying to communicate it in a way that is biblically accurate and makes sense to people, a particular group of people (my church family), seemed like an insurmountable challenge every week. I think the series lasted 7 weeks, and yet it seemed like 7 months. I mean no disrespect to God's Holy, Inspired Word; since, in fact, I spent most of the series boldly proclaiming its inspiration and relevance. But I was completely surprised by how difficult it was to study and preach this particular section of it. More later.

Matthew Henry and Thanksgiving

In preparation for Thanksgiving, our family has been reading from the booklet: Growing Together in gratitude: Stories of Faith for Families - by Barbara Rainey

I want to take an excerpt from one of the readings, because it was so encouraging to me. It is in the context of a reading about "Finding the Good in the Bad":

"Matthew Henry was a Puritan preacher in the late 1600's. Like our friend Amy,he once wrote in his diary about something bad that happened to him. One day, while walking home in London, he was robbed by a couple of men who jumped him from the shadows of an alley. Being robbed is hardly an everyday nuisance - it's much more unsettling, more of a personal violation that can leave one feeling vulnerable and frightened. Reverend Henry probably felt those things, but what he wrote that night is very instructive: 'Let me be thankful, first, because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed.'

What a great perspective on a difficult situation! Matthew Henry chose to look for the good that was hidden in the bad. And by doing this he showed us how important it is to focus on the positive that God wants us to see in every situation in life. It's always there; we just have to choose to look for it."

Chick-fil-A

I do love Chick-fil-a. When I lived in Florida, I became a sweet tea lover; and up here in the frigid North, it seems the only place the tea is this sweet is Chick-fil-a. Yes, their chicken is awesome as well. I like Tim Hawkins and I love Chick-fil-a. So, this is one of my favorite songs!

POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE: Your Choice!

This is something I have been thinking about quite a bit lately. There is something in common with all of the experiences we have each day. Some of them would be labeled as positive and some negative; and much of that depends on who is looking at the situation. For example, this past Sunday, our Cleveland Browns lost to the New York Jets. From a fan and team's perspective, the Browns and their fans see the result as negative (unless you are one of those non-fans who want to lose to get better draft picks!); and the Jets and their fans see the result as positive. That makes sense, right? And there are many things in life, just like that, where depending on what end of the circumstance you are on, you may see it as positive or negative.

However, I do believe, that even though it is a part of life, to have positive or negative experiences, that we do have a choice. That is, regardless of our circumstances, we can choose a positive outlook. Really? How is that? Let me explain. One of the foundational issues, in order to have a positive outlook, is the issue of eternal salvation. One thing that is a must, in order to see all of life, and death, as positive, is to be a follower of Jesus Christ. If you are a follower of Christ, not just professing belief, but actually following (James 1:22),then you absolutely have the opportunity to see all things positively.

Let's take the football game, for example. The Jets and their fans are going to see the win as positive (except in the cases where they want draft picks or want to lose so their coach can be fired. That is for bad teams and for fans that in my opinion, are not true fans). But, how can Browns fans or Christian players see it as positive? There are several ways:

• Since we believe in God's sovereignty, then we believe that whatever God allows (even if we don't like it), is what will bring Him the most glory
• Since we believe in the Bible, including Romans 8:28, then we believe that whatever God allows (even if it is painful or considered by us to be bad) is for our spiritual good.
• If a player gets traded or released or a coach fired over a loss, or multiple losses, then God's sovereignty still stands; and God may have a different plan for the Christians involved than they first thought.
• There is a great opportunity for we, as fans, to remember that this is just football; and although it has temporary pleasure, it certainly should not affect our emotions as it relates to living real life with our God, family and others. If our team losing a game puts us in depression, then it means that we are not following Jesus as we should. We have our priorities mixed up. One good thing about situations like this is that it tests what is really important to us, and checks our motives.

Perhaps you might say: that is all fine and good with something as trivial as football; but what about the major issues of life. Like what? You might say: what about cancer or a car accident or a job loss, etc. Yes, those are major issues, and much more important than football (yes, fanatic football fans who aren't quite sure - I can prove it by Scripture!).

Well, believe it or not, the response, as followers of Jesus, that we need to have in light of these tragedies and very painful times that affect so many, is the same response we have to football and other temporary, insignificant things. You do have a choice, as to how you look at something. Don't get me wrong: it is o.k. to be sorrowful, when you find out that you or someone you love has cancer. It is o.k. to cry and hurt like crazy when you or someone you love loses their job and go through a financial crisis. And it is o.k. to be concerned and frustrated with a car accident, especially if someone was hurt. But, you have a choice to make: will I focus on the negative aspects of this circumstance (and humanly speaking there may be many); or am I going to focus on the positive? If there is a tragedy, let's say cancer, the positive outlook is from God:

• This did not surprise God. Nothing happens outside of His allowance and control; so I will trust, positively, that God knows what He is doing and I am "safe" in Him.
• If God chooses to take my life "early" (from a human point of view),then I will be with Him in Heaven, with no more pain. I will be reunited with loved ones who have gone on before.
• I will choose to see this an opportunity for God to show who He is through this. He will have to provide financially. He will have to provide the encouragement, strength and wisdom needed. He may choose, as everyone is praying, to heal me;and all glory goes to Him. He may give me opportunities to witness of Jesus, which might only come because of this physical ailment. I will focus on God instead of my cancer.
• I have much to be thankful for; and with the days I have left on this earth, I will not take them for granted any longer; but with joy, appreciate everything I have - every breath I have left.

That is just an example. Most of the circumstances of every day life are not so dramatic, but I do believe that they offer us a choice. Unfortunately, I have found that Christians also struggle with their attitude and the way they approach "unfortunate" circumstances. But, as followers of Jesus, we have the great opportunity to live with an eternal perspective . (II Corinthians 4:16-18). We can choose to see things positively, no mater what they are; and as we do, we glorify God, and draw others to Him!

II Corinthians 4:16-18 - "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing fr us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Church and Oil Changes

On my way to work from my oil change this morning, it hit me: I can learn something about church ministry from my oil change experience. I want the church worship experience to be a good one for everyone that comes, and my oil change experience was not a good one. The specific name of the place I went will remain anonymous (unless you want to know so that you never take your car there!):

• when I arrived for my 7 a.m. appointment, the doors were locked. No one showed up to let me in until 7:05 a.m. Not good! I waited and didn't lambaste them for their rudeness; but none the less, it wasn't good. If we say we have a service or program here at church, the appropriate doors need to be unlocked, with signage and/or people there to help. We need to be "open for business" when we say we are. In fact, we should be "open" and ready for people well before the appointed time listed.
• There was no apology. I didn't let this deter me from staying, but I would think good customer service would include a sincere apology when there is a situation like this. As a church, I would hope that if a door is locked, or there was not good signage, or no help for someone finding a room, or we were not prepared when someone came to a class or service - that we would sincerely apologize for our mistake and do what we can to demonstrate that we are so glad they are there!
• I heard excuses for why it took almost 20 minutes for my car to get into the garage to be looked at when I was the only customer for the first 10 minutes. Instead of giving an explanation and asking for patience, with apology, the guy up front made excuses without any concern for his customers. As a church, one of the most important things we can do is communicate with our guests. And if something does not go right and causes some discomfort for our guests, we ought to apologize and explain what we are doing to correct the issue.
• While I was waiting (and working - at least I brought my laptop with me to be productive!), the guy who works up front was on the phone with a couple personal phone calls. In one case, he was swearing on the phone and threatening to go over to this guy's house and slap him around! I assume this is a friend or family member, but it didn't sound good to the customers who were waiting for service. Here at church, it is so important that we are aware of our guests, those we are trying to serve. Yelling or swearing at others, even our own family members, has no place at anytime, but especially in public, when it adversely affects others. No matter the relationship, we need to be kind and loving; and if a tough conversation has to take place, it should not take place publicly, at church!
• My appointment was at 7 a.m. and I walked out and got in my car at 8:17 a.m. (almost 1 hour and 20 minutes later!) Again, no apology for how long it took; and in fact, my car was parked at different location where I could not see it, wasn't told where it was, and I had to find it on my own. Those who come to church should be able to expect consistency from us. If we say that a service or meeting or program lasts a certain amount of time, we should do our best to be done at that time, or apologize for not being done. It is all about valuing people and one of their most valuable resources: their time!
• I came in with a coupon for a $16.99 oil change and then paid a bill at the end (adding nothing on to the oil change) for $25.53. The explanation given was that this was for an extra quart of oil and for taxes. There was no explanation prior, on the coupon or given before the work was done. I expected a few dollars in tax, perhaps, but not to pay almost $9 more than what the coupon promised. Again, it is about expectations and communication for the church. And beside time, other people certainly count money as one of their most valuable resources (if not their most). We do not charge for our services here. In fact, it is only our committed attenders and members that we ask to give to God through our offering: voluntarily, joyfully and sacrificially (all biblical principles). It is our desire, not to take as much money as we can from someone (even somewhat deceptively); but instead, to encourage people to experience God's blessing by giving back some of what God has given them to Him as a part of their worship.

In summary, I hope my experience at the oil change will make me: more sensitive to others; go beyond their expectations; and through communication and care, demonstrate true love to others I come into contact with!

Mercy Me!

I didn' realize it until after it was all over. I had demonstrated mercy. I kind of wish I knew I was doing it, because then it would have been more intentional, it seems, more godly. The event, however, did keep me thinking about this issue of mercy the rest of the week and now through the weekend. What is mercy? In its most simplistic form, mercy is withholding judgment, discipline, punishment, even though it would be "just" and the person is deserving of the judgment. However, the one who holds the authority,and has the power to decide, makes the decision not to hand out the fine, the punishment, the "justice". That is mercy.

Those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ have received the greatest example of mercy there is:
"Ephesians 2:4,5 - "But God, being rich in mercy, becuse of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ -by grace you have been saved."

This is mercy (not receiving what we do deserve - everlasting punishment and separation from God) and grace (receiving what we don't deserve - eternal life with God forever) working together. It is amazing.

And we are instructed, that since we have received this kind of forgiveness, this mercy, that we are, in turn, to show mercy to one another. All of us, regardless of our age or situation in life, have mercy moments, where we are in the position of giving or withholding mercy. Now, there are times when God calls us to discipline and hand out "justice". Certainly, He does the same. But, there are also times, many times, when mercy is the right call, and we have the choice to make.

Parents hold their tender children in their hands, and there are times when they feel like "crushing them". They are bigger, stronger (for now) and have all the authority and power. They could treat them harshly, without mercy, and justify it easily. We as parents have daily opportunitites to demonstrate mercy.

Some of us have that opportunity in other organizations or at work. There are people who answer to us, or "owe" us in some way, and we are put in the position to "hurt" them, to "make them pay", etc. It is a mercy moment.

For me, I realize that as a husband, father and pastor, I have many mercy moments. I wish I could say that I was always merciful; but I certainly fall short, quite often I'm afraid. It is nice, once in a while, to look back and see how God did show mercy through me, even though I fail often. This past week, I could have "crushed" that person by telling him/her what I really thought about what they did. I decided not to. In fact, if you were to ask that person if I was merciful, he/she probably would say it didn't apply. He/she didn't even realize mercy was being offered. That's probably the best way for it to go. I show mercy, but get no credit for it. That is a good thing. If we show mercy in order to look good to others, we might be merciful but we are also proud; and we have our reward - the temporal admiration of others. We need to be merciful because God is merciful to us, and He asks of His followers, that we do the same. That brings blessing that only God can bring; and the rewards become eternal!

Doctor of Poopology?

I do have an earned Doctorate, but no one really asks me questions that have to do with that area in which I have studied and practiced for years. But, yesterday, I came to the realization that although I have no desire to study this particular area, I might as well get my degree in poopology; since that is where I am being asked the questions. If you have read my blog recently, then you know we had a new addition to our family a couple of weeks ago: Nikki. She is a couple of months old, and is a Yorkshire/Doxen mix. I am told that makes her a Dorkey (doesn't seem too complimentary).

Anyway, our kids have a day (their day) when they have certain responsibilities; which now also includes taking the dog out to do her "duty". However, I get the early morning and late night take out, since we certainly don't want to disturb the beauty sleep of all our beautiful children (I guess that is the reasoning). Anyway, yesterday, I realized what I am good for, as the husband and father of the household.

From upstairs, in the middle of the afternoon, I hear "Daddy, we need you". Now, that can be a very nice thing, an encouraging phrase to hear; but not so in this case. It was explained to me that I needed to take the dog outside to go #2 (if you don't know what that means, ask your young child). Why did I need to do that, I inquired? "Because she won't go #2 for us and you know how to get her to do that!" Naively, I actually took that as a compliment, and a challenge, and took our young pup out to do her thing...which she did.

When I triumphantly returned indoors, I was asked, as though I am the expert, as to how I did it. Again, ignorantly, I shared my "expertise" with the family. It didn't take me too long to realize what I had done. I, inadvertently, had become the #2 expert, and might as well have my doctorate in it. I am the one, now, that will be called on, to get the reluctant dog to do her thing. Great! Why didn't I learn, like many dads, that you are supposed to pretend you don't know how to do something, or do it very poorly, so that you will never be asked to do it again? I'm a slow learner I guess.

I would write some more, but I thing I hear my name being called.
Hand me the plastic bag.

NUMBERING MY DAYS

Lord,
Thank you for another year of life that you gave me. I recognize that every breath is a special gift from you. My blessings, over my life, and even in this past year, are so many. You blessed me with physical life and I have greatly enjoyed it. You gave me awesome, godly parents, and a brother and sister to grow up with. You have given me the most beautiful, godly woman as my wife, and you have poured on the blessing with my 5 incredible children. You have given me health and the ability to enjoy my family and friends. You have blessed me with the privilege of leading a church and loving your people. I love the people of Grace. You have given us good friends here. We have seen you at work. You are changing people's lives and that is all I ever wanted to be a part of.

Psalm 90:12 - "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

That is my prayer, Lord. I understand that today could be my last day on this earth. I have no guarantee of another year here. That is o.k. with me, since I know that you are in control, and know what is best. I just pray, that I will use my remaining breaths to honor you and bring you glory. May I speak kindly to my wife. May I graciously lead my children in pursuing you. May I lovingly lead your people, in our church, to give themselves to the mission you have called us to.
I need your wisdom Lord. I want to enjoy and appreciate all I have from you; but my greatest desire is to use my days wisely, for your glory. I know that is all that counts when this short life is over, I go home to be with you; and then those that are left remember my life. I want them to remember you through the way I lived.

I love you Lord.

HAD A DOG...NO MORE DOGS

Famous last words...

Her name is Nikki, the kids love her, and I am going for "dad of the year"!

We almost named her Grace, since the family is getting a second chance with a dog.

We will see how it goes with this small, "non-shedding", gift from God (atleast these are the things I keep telling myself)!

FAST AND PRAY

This week, we asked our congregation to consider taking a day, to fast and pray. Prayer is so important to us as individual Christians, and to our church as a whole; but I admit that fasting has been somewhat of a ignored topic. I remember preaching about it a couple of years ago, but beyond that, I have made it just a personal issue for me in my own walk. But, as I prepared for last week's message on God's sovereignty and talked about where we find ourselves as a church, the idea hit me. We need to allow the entire church to participate, asking God to do something incredible, and demonstrating our desire for Him by setting aside, for a time, other desires, such as food.

Fasting is a tricky thing because Jesus warned that we should not be like the Pharisees, who fasted publicly and acted in such a way that everyone knew they were fasting. Jesus said: they have received their reward - public honor for their piety. But instead, we are to fast privately, not letting others know our hunger, so that we can be blessed by God. However, we see in the Bible, that there are times to call an entire group of people, even an entire nation, to fast as a group; and in those circumstances, it is certainly appropriate to let everyone know the plan and to do it at the same time.

Just a few things God has taught me during times of fasting:

• I can go without food or other things longer than I think I can
• I need Him more than anything
• He does satisfy more than food, more then other pleasures I enjoy
• If I pray during the times I would normally enjoy something else, I feel closer to God and feel strengthened in that commitment
• I notice, then, to a greater degree, what God does in response to these times of fasting

May our times of fasting and prayer be humble times, selfless times, times to focus on God and to make Him our satisfaction!

More KISSES for Me!

I don't know if this is true for all of you previously facial haired men; but it was true for me, and I'm loving it! A few years ago, on Thanksgiving vacation, with Teresa's encouragement, I grew some facial hair. Over the past several months, Teresa had told me that she was ready for it to come off. I hesitated. I should have thought of this earlier, because when I went to kiss her, I noticed her wincing. I started to wonder if I was just a bad kisser, but it was all about the prickly hair. So, over vacation last week I shaved it all off. The surprising thing is, it took her almost a day to notice it - not sure why. Then all of a sudden she noticed it and...started kissing me. Over the past several days, I have received many more kisses - it has been pretty sweet. I wish I would have done that a long time ago; and I think it might be a long time before I forget to shave. Pucker those lips baby - smooth face coming for some more!

FAMILY TIME

We do everything we can to have dinner together every night. I take Fridays off and spend them with Teresa and the afternoon and evening with the family. Many Saturdays there is quite a bit of time together. But, I am very grateful for the times when we get to go away and some time together away from home completely. Granted, most of the time, we go to visit friends or family, where the lodging is free and it is great to catch up with everyone. It has been a while since just our family has gotten away; and it happened this week.

Tonight we pack and tomorrow we head back from Lake George, up here in Silver Bay, New York. Teresa grew up coming to this campground (YMCA) with her family and next summer there is a Campagna family reunion here; so, we thought we would come up here and check it out. Actually, the real reason we came now is because it is off season, and the food and lodging is free for pastor's families. When talking about this trip, I have had more than one pastor tell me: "My policy is: if it's free, it's me!" I suppose we pretty much adhere to that policy as well.

It did mean taking our kids out of school for a week, and missing some practices, games and special events; but you know what? Those things will always be going on with our busy lives, and it was worth it, just to spend a week alone as a family! We are grateful for the many blessings that come with being a pastor's family; and the generosity of camps like this, and Chip Devenger (our host this week), are prime examples. We don't take these things lightly, or for granted.

It is really beautiful here, and being right on Lake George is great! We have used kayaks (2 of our children that will remain unnamed got stranded and had to be rescued!), the archery range, climbing on rocks, tennis, soccer, basketball and "nuke'em" (a family favorite on the volleyball court); and there is probably more I am forgetting.

But, my absolute favorite thing has been, after breakfast, having everyone pick a scenic spot and having their own private time wth God. Then, we meet together at a certain point along the beach, sing, pray, and share what they learned in their time alone. It was awesome! I suggested that at home, we all get up at 5:30 a.m. go to the beach at Lake Erie and have family devotions every morning; but that great suggestion was not met with much approval or applause.

So, I will be content with remembering this great time of family; and thank God for His many blessings.

Entertaining Sheep, Attracting Goats

I recently heard a local pastor criticize other churches by saying that they were "entertaining sheep and attracting goats." The "sheep" term is used in the Bible to refer to believers, followers of God who are true Christians. The "goat" term is used to refer to those who might be among the sheep, for now, but will eventually be separated from them by God, because the "goats" are non-believers. So, the pastor's critical comment was that some churches are just trying to entertain the believers and attract non-believers by the methods they use in worship, rather than building up believers and honoring God in their worship.

I have heard critical remarks like this before, and they are usually used of churches that are growing, not from transfers from other like churches, but from people in the community, people that are spiritually searching, and are finding the truth they are looking for being communicated in an up to date, fresh, loving way. Usually, a co-criticism of churches like this is that the preaching is not "deep" enough.

Certainly there are churches that have a lot of people, are just a social type of church, and are not preaching truth. But, these criticisms, from other good, Christian pastors, are not aimed at the doctrinally deviant churches, but at churches that hold to pretty much the same doctrine. It is just that they have chosen a different method to communicate the same truth to the people they are trying to reach.

When I hear criticisms like this, I wonder what they would have thought or said about Jesus Christ, when He was here on Earth. We have recorded for us many of His messages and teaching methods. Would they consider Jesus' teaching "deep"? Certainly, He could have been accused of "entertaining the sheep" or "attracting goats" when He performed some of His incredible miracles. People were amazed and "entertained" as the Bible even tells us that some people were following Him only because of His miracles. Was He "entertaining the sheep" and attracting goats" when He told stories instead of going verse by verse through an Old Testament book? He told stories that today, we would say were entertaining, keeping our interest, and strongly making His point. Believers and non-believers alike were drawn to what Jesus did and taught. He would often use object lessons, using the water or mountains and hills, or fish and bread. Instead of answering some of the questions He was asked directly, He would make His point (and I'm sure caused many of the hearers to laugh) by answering the question with a question.

There is another way to look at this, you know. What if Jesus was not trying to "entertain" the sheep as much as He was trying to "engage" them in truth and have them consider what it really takes to be His follower? What if Jesus was, indeed, attracting "goats" because He wanted to introduce them to Himself, to the truth that would lead to God? And at the right time, after the "sheep were entertained" and the "goats were attracted", Jesus would then lay it out for them: this is what is required to be my follower...this is the truth. It was at moments like that, that most people, including His closest followers, would walk away from Him.

If by "entertaining the sheep" we mean engaging believers through effective teaching methods, bringing all of their senses into play, regarding God's truth, then I say: "let the sheep be entertained!" And if by "attracting the goats" we mean that non-believers are willing to hear the life changing message of the gospel because we are willing to do what the Apostle Paul was willing to do: "be all things to all men, so that I might save some"; then by all means: bring in the goats!

The only people that Jesus was really rough with and called names, were those religious leaders who pretended to know and follow God, but were actually causing damage to the testimony of God and the gospel of Christ. They were the ones who were very rigid and would never have been accused of entertaining anybody. They not only condemned the goats (ironically they were actually goats, non-believers, themselves), but they condemned true Christians. They were all about rules and keeping their man-made standards and laws.

Let's have the heart of Jesus as we minister to people, and remember why He was here: "to seek and to save that which was lost (goats)". We have been called by God to "make disciples", followers of Jesus; and if those followers, through engagement of the truth, are also laughing and enjoying their journey with Jesus (being entertained), then praise God! Perhaps God was right when He said we as believers are to be constantly rejoicing.

So, this week, my prayer for you churches is this: may your sheep be entertained, and may you attract many goats!

9 years ago today

About this time (6:27 a.m. EST), I'm sure some people who were involved in the tragic events of that day, 9 years ago, were getting up, were on their way to he airport, were beginning their day as a first responder in NYC, etc.; and except for the criminals, no one had an idea what that particular day would bring. They lived out the truth of what the Bible says: "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." (Proverbs 27:1). For those who lost someone on that day, I'm sure the pain is still there, and today it is good for us to pray for them...especially today.

I can still remember that Tuesday morning, when the church custodian came to my youth office and told me what had happened. I called Teresa and told her to turn on the TV. That scenario must have played out thousands of times in our country that day: "turn on the TV...you won't believe what just happened." The pictures and video from that day are chilling. I don't know how anyone can process those events, unless you believe in a sovereign God, who allowed the consequences of sin to be seen in a cataclysmic way on that particular day. Those who did those terrible things will have to give an account before a holy God; but God also used the events of that day to turn many people toward Him; even those who had ignored Him most of their lives.

So, today, we remember the fallen and thank God for those first responders, many of which also gave their lives that day. We remember the friends and families that remain, who still grieve over their loved ones. We look to God, realizing that He may not give us all the answers to our questions about that day; but He will give us the answers for how to live in an uncertain, sinful world, and how to be prepared for eternity.

"Lord, today I pray for all of those who will be grieving, as they remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. We believe, Lord, that you have or will bring to justice (your perfect justice) those who committed those terrible crimes and caused death and incredible pain to so many. We believe your Word, that all those who died that day, as your followers, have spent the last 9 years in your presence...at peace. So, we ask you to give comfort and peace to those who grieve today, and continue to use this tragedy to help people look to you as their comforter, their Savior, and their Lord. In Jesus name, Amen."

WE HAVE SPIRIT YES WE DO!

Last weekend was the opening for most college football teams around the country. For football fans, there is nothing better than the Fall weather, which signifies it is time for football! And the excitement for football is no greater than in college football stadiums and Universities on game day. My sister-in-law called a couple days before the weekend, saying that their family were given 6 great, 50 yard line seats (if you are a football fan, you know how great a location that is) for Penn State's opening game against Youngstown State. They had 2 left over, so I took my son Caleb (age 9), who is playing flag football this year for the first time. It would be over a 4 hour drive each way, but as Caleb put it: "I don't care if it is a billion miles away, Yes!, let's go!"

A couple notes here. Yes, I am an Iowa Hawkeye fan, but I knew I could set that aside for opening weekend and cheer on Penn State against Youngstown State (yes, I know I live in Ohio and Youngstown is in OH). I also didn't want to get booed, embarrass my relatives, or have beer poured over my head (although I didn't see any beer in the stadium, and the season ticket holder fans we were seated near didn't seem to surly). I also knew this was opening day, which meant Penn State would play a "cupcake" team (meaning a team they should easily beat). I am competitive, so I like competition and the possibility of a team wining or losing; but I decided this was going to be just a nice day to enjoy time with my son and Teresa's sister's family.

I have been at just a couple of college football games, but they can't be beat, in terms of the excitement that the fans, especially the home team's college students bring to that atmosphere.

The pictures I have included show a little of our experience. Caleb was pretty excited, that before the game, he won a Hershey's chocolate bar by throwing a football through a target hole at a booth outside the stadium. I also won one, but Caleb ate that on too since I just started my diet (and I LOVE chocolate!). You also see a picture of some nachos and cheese. I happened to be looking down through my camera when those came by, so I took the picture. I LOVE nachos and cheese, but unbelievably, I once again showed restraint by refraining. When is this diet going to be over? Oh, yeah, I just started it. One of the cool things about the experience was that we arrived a couple hours before the game started and were able to enjoy all the things taking place outside the stadium. We heard both marching bands play, got to through some footballs and just watch all the people getting pumped up for the big game.

Another picture shows the marching band on the field and in the top right hand corner, you can see an "S" which stands for State (Penn State) and made by just the right placement of fans wearing the right colored shirts. The atmosphere inside the stadium was "electric". Lots of music, lots of cheering...Lots of acrobatics and, of course, the mascot, who in one picture, you see him hugging Caleb. Plus, we were there on a day that had great football weather (for you non-football fans, that means it was nice and cool).

One thing that really struck me, was when the Penn State school song was played before the game, with everyone standing, and those who attended Penn State, singing it. I looked at the words on the big screen and they really struck me. They were words that you could have almost sung in church, as a worship song. In fact, that is exactly what I thought: this is a worship song! They were singing about their love and devotion for their school. School loyalty is great, but it also made me sad. I was making the assumption that most of the people that were in that stadium, yelling and screaming for their team, singing from their hearts about their devotion, are not followers of Jesus Christ.

This is the kind of devotion that ought to be giving to Jesus. These are the kinds of songs that ought to come from our hearts, with the energetic emotion that was coming from these football fans. The next day, as I helped lead others in worship, I made sure that I was, first of all, a worshipper, rather than just someone leading others. I gave my heart in singing out to my God. That is where my devotion must lie, and that is where I must strive to lead others.

p.s. Go Hawkeyes!

Day 108 - The End has come!

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I don't know about the end of the world, as God will take care of that in His timing, but I do know that my extreme faith workout in James has concluded. Working out and writing 6 days a week has now concluded with my 108th entry. Even if no one else has done the workout with me, it has been very valuable for me, in many ways:

• Continuing the discipline of prayer and Bible study each day
• Applying what I am preaching
• Growing in my faith

This has been a great experience for me and I believe God has used it to test, challenge and grow my faith. Thanks, God, for this opportunity.

Day 107 - James 3-5 and 5:19,20

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James 5:19,20

3:2,3 - the rescuer, if he can control his tongue, will be more effective in his rescue
3:8 - it is likely that the wanderer was struggling with his tongue
3:13 - the rescuer will need this to love the wanderer
3:14 - many times this is what the wanderer is struggling with
3:18 - the rescuer is really a biblical peacemaker, trying to bring restoration in personal relationships and to God
4:2-4 - the wanderer is shown to be a friend of the world
4:6 - this is what is needed, humility - for both the wanderer and the rescuer
5:16 - the wanderer needs to confess his sins to the rescuer, who can pray for him and help bring him back

Day 106 - looking at the whole

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Read chapters 1,2 and see any connection with James 5:19,20:

• 1:1,2 - steadfastness in trials is a blessed characteristic. Those who are wandering from the truth are not being steadfast
• 1:5 - the need for wisdom is the same in rescuing someone from spiritual disaster as it is in enduring a trial
• 1:13 - the one wandering cannot blame God
• 1:14,15 - the reason the person has wandered has everything to do with
• 1:21,22 - this is the answer for what the wanderer needs to do
• 1:23,24 - this is an explanation for what the wanderer has done
• 1:27 - this is the challenge for the wanderer and for the rescuer
• 2:1 - for those who are going after the wanderer, we cannot show partiality
• 2:8 - this is an encouragement for the rescuer
• 2:12,13 - the one who rescues demonstrates the mercy of Christ
• 2:17 - the wanderer may have had the head knowledge but didn't follow it through with his life

Day 105 - applying James 5:19,20

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James 5:19,20 - NEXT STEPS

1. It is our responsibility to bring people back to God's truth
James encourages those who are willing to go after people who are sinning; and with the rest of Scripture we know the importance and responsibility of reaching out to our fallen brothers and sisters in Christ. This has been an area I have taken much more seriously in recent years, even though it is full of risks and consequences.

2. Evaluate your own heart, and then humbly attempt to rescue them from God's judgment.
This is crucial, to make sure that we have confessed our own sins, before we attempt to go after others and help them. But, once we have done, that, we must go after those struggling with sin, as thought their lives depended on it.

3. Be encouraged that you are doing the right thing.
This command is very tough, at times, so it is good to remember that God wants us to do it, He will bless it; and it is God's will.

Day 104 - ? about James 5:19,20

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James 5:19,20

• Who in the church or fellowship has the responsibility to do something if a brother is seen to be wandering from the truth (5:19,20)? The brother or sister in Christ who recognizes it is happening.
• Only God can bring a sinner back and save him (John 6:44; Ephesians 1:7). So what does James mean by saying that one of us should bring the wanderer back and turn him from the error of his way? It is our responsibility to be God's instrument, messenger, to tell them how they are walking away from truth; and to help them come back to it. But still, without the Holy Spirit doing the work on their heart, it will not happen. That is God's job; and we just need to do ours.
• Explain in your own words the results of bringing back a wanderer (5:20), as you interpret them: It keeps them from going down the path of discipline that they were on, which could have led to physical death; or if they were a pretending believer, but really a non-believer, it delivers them from spiritual, eternal separation kind of death. It also keeps them from the many other consequences they would have experienced in their sin.
• What are some practical steps a person can take when he sees a brother wandering from the truth? 1) pray for him; 2) make sure your own heart is right before God; 3) pray for the right timing and then contact him; 4) lovingly explain your concern for them and specifically how you believe they have walked away from the truth. 5) Be there for them, all the way through the restoration process.

Day 103 - James 5:19,20

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The context:
James 5:13-18 covers a variety of topics, but the main constant theme is prayer. So, coming into verses 19,20, dealing with a someone who has strayed from the truth, prayer should be the context in which they are pursued.

James 5:19,20 (my paraphrase)
Followers of Christ, if someone who has worshipped with you starts sinning, going away from God's truth; be encouraged to know that any of you who go after him and bring him back to the truth will deliver him from the consequence of death and many other sins that he would have committed.

Day 102 - listening to a message on James 5:13-18

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3 things I am taking to heart from my message last Sunday:
1. Prayer is to be a constant thing, regardless of the circumstances. And although I have improved in this area, I want to keep making prayer something that is going on in my heart and mind all day long.

2. When people are weak, they desire pastoral care; and I want to continue to be sensitive to that and be there for them; even sensing it, if they do not request it.

3. I want the faith like Elijah had, even though he was also weak. I want to be right with God and see Him do amazing things; even in the context of my prayers.

Day 101 - ? about James 5:13-18

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Is it ever appropriate to confess sins before a group, such as an entire congregation?
If the sin affects the entire congregation, then yes, it is appropriate. If the person wants to confess to them, and the church leadership believes it is appropriate for those circumstances, then yes. If the discipline process goes that far, then yes.

Is it ever wise to confess personal sins to another person, even if that person is not directly involved?
If telling that person will help in accountability, then yes.

Do confession and forgiveness contribute to physical as well as spiritual healing?
yes. It puts us in the place of God's blessing. Having a clear conscience is always healthy;and although God chooses to heal, confession and forgiveness equals spiritual healing, even if the physical healing doesn't come.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FUNERAL

In this context, I certainly am using the word "funny" to mean "strange" as opposed to "ha ha". Certainly none of my true friends and loved ones will laugh at what I am about to describe...certainly not.

It was Tuesday night, just before 7 p.m., and I pulled in the additional parking lot of a large church for the large funeral I was attending. Although I normally like arriving early to things, getting to this funeral just before it began was going to work out fine, as I can park in a far off spot, not have any rush of cars or people, and easily find my car when the funeral was over. Good plan, right?

As I said, I pulled in the additional parking lot, figuring it would be much easier to find a parking spot. I have been to this church for various occasions, but I had never parked in this particular lot; so perhaps, I can use that as an excuse (my unfamiliarity with the lot) for what happened next? As I pulled in, I noticed, this lot was fairly full as well. No problem - I will head toward the back, find an easy spot and head inside - piece of cake.

I pulled down the first row of cars, and as I was getting near the end, I noticed some spots, near some other cars, open on the left. I also noticed some spots straight ahead, near the grass at the end of the lot. I decided to go ahead and park near some other cars, but with a few spaces in between us. Although I had the smaller car (not the suburban), I still prefer my space when parking.

As I was getting ready to pull into a spot on the left, another car came into view from the second row, who was also pulling into one of those spots. Although there was still room next to him, I immediately decided to look elsewhere. I would like to use the "someone pulled right in front of me" excuse for what I am about to describe, but that would not quite be the truth. But, if you would like to think that, in order to excuse me from responsibility for the following (as one of my dearly loved friends), then please feel free.

I looked forward to the spots, once again, at the end of the lot, and then looked back at the car pulling in, while still driving, and for some reason, starting to turn the corner. I guess I was a little undecided in my mind as to whether I was going straight, or taking a last spot on the left; and I guess I was going to turn the corner and then park near the grass a little further down and closer to the entrance.

All of this happened in a couple of seconds, once I saw the car pulling in to that spot. I looked ahead, looked back at them, and...BANG!

No, I didn't. Certainly, I did not just do that. Don't tell me I just ran into a light pole in a parking lot. I came to find out later that I was very fortunate not to have the air bag release, but at the moment, I certainly was not thinking of all the fortunate things in my life. I just ran my car into a light pole! From the moment I entered the parking lot, I never "saw" the pole. I was focused only on the parking spots and cars (here is where you can insert, family and friends, the "hey, he never parked in that lot before - how could he have known there was a light pole there" excuse).

Fortunately (here a fortunate thing I actually did think about at the time), no one else was in the parking lot, except for the man who pulled in just before I hit the pole (o.k. family and friends, here is where you say: "it is really that guys fault. If he wouldn't have taken your spot, then all would be well"!) He got out of his car and asked me if I was o.k. I said yes, and he went into the funeral. I do appreciate that he held back his laughter (as I am sure you are doing now).

So, that was about 7 p.m. The tow truck was taking me away a 9:15 p.m., which is just at the time that the funeral was letting out and people were crowding into the parking lot. Fortunately (see, here is another fortunate thing I was thinking), it was dark, and since I was hiding under the seat of the tow truck (at least I wanted to), no one saw me (at least that I know of - I was making no eye contact).

For those 2 plus hours following the crash and before being towed away in humility, I had the opportunity to tell two different guys from the church who had to come out and access the situation, explain it to the AAA operator, 2 different workers for the towing companies, my tow truck guy that responded, my wife, my friend who gave me counsel, and the sheriff who came by to check it out. I kept trying to find a dignified way to explain how I ran right into a light pole, but in all the times I had to tell people, it still sounded pretty silly.

The left front bumper side and tire area was all messed up. There was plastic all over the place, as the head light was busted and stuff was coming off the car. I couldn't move the car completely out of the way because the tire had broken off from the tire rod (I think it was the tire rod. I know enough about cars to know that something was broken and it wasn't moving!). The sheriff did give me some good news: he said there were no warrants out for my arrest (see, something else positive to think about!) The next day, the collision place took a look and an estimate for repair. He said there might even be more damage, as the hood would not open and the whole insides, according to him, were moved over to the side. What it would take to fix the car was 90% of what it was worth. Needless to say, there may be some parts of the car available on Craig's list very soon.

Lesson learned...
Wait a second...
What lesson:

• bad things happen at funerals?
• here is another reason to hate Elyria?
• don't turn left into a light pole?
• bring a disguise in case you do this again?

While I am looking for the lesson learned, perhaps I will just accept the same lesson I need to learn over and over and over again, about the same foundational truth: God is in control, loves me, and only allows things for my spiritual good and growth. Therefore, I can trust Him!

Day 100 - praying in all circumstances

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James 5:13-18 is all about prayer:

Write down what James advises for each of the following circumstances:

• if we are in trouble - pray
• if we are happy - sing praises
• if we are sick - call for the elders to pray over you

Explain in your own words the two factors that heal a person in 5:15:

• prayer of faith
• confession of sins

When should we praise God?

• Psalm 34:1 - at all times
• Hebrews 13:15 - continually

For what should we thank Him?

• Ephesians 5:20 - for everything

How can we thank God even for difficult circumstances?

• Because we know He is in control and will only allow things in our lives for our own spiritual good

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - TIME FOR DONUTS!

Not sure how the tradition got started; but I like it. On the first day of school each year, I take all the kids (and Teresa has started to join in!) to donuts (hopefully with a coupon). A dozen donuts gives 6 of us (Teresa generously refrains) 2 to celebrate (or drown our sorrows in sugar)! It's a nice way to start the school year. I haven't been able to convince Teresa, yet, that this would be a great weekly tradition, but perhaps this will be the year! And of course (especially when my awesome wife is present), there has to be the traditional picture at the donut place, with all 5 kids standing in line, by height of course. Can you guess which 2 of our kids weren't very excited about taking this picture in public (you can't tell by the picture itself)? So, another school year begins, and we thank God for the privilege of sending our children to Christian schools, provided once again by our generous Father. We say a prayer....and then take a bite into that delicious Boston Creme filled delight.....yummmmm!

Day 99 - James and 5:13-18

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The theme of James 5:13-18 is prayer
James 1 - There is prayer, in the context of going through trials and needing wisdom

James 2 - although prayer is not evident in chapter 2, the theme of putting faith into action is present, which is also a theme of James 5:13-18

James 3 - With the issue of the tongue, there is a reference to "blessing our Lord and Father", which is prayer; and that it needed to be consistent with how we used our tongues with others

James 4 - When we pray, in this wrong heart attitude, we don't get what we ask for

James 5 - This passage is all about prayer, in different contexts. When you are suffering...pray
When you are happy...pray. When you are weak, physically or spiritually...pray

BRAD QUICK IS RIP

It is a phrase that people often use, as though they are speaking to the one who has just died: Rest In Peace (RIP); or "may he rest in peace." I have often wondered what that is supposed to mean. It seems to me that it really means nothing, since the body is now lifeless. However, the only ones that this phrase really fits are followers of Jesus Christ, to whom God has promised eternal life in Heaven: "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." So, I can, with great confidence say that: Brad Quick is resting in peace, because He is now "home", with His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He has no more pain, no struggle, no sin. He is at peace.

Brad was the pastor of First Baptist Church in Elyria, Oh; and since I pastor in a nearby town, I had the privilege of getting to know him over the past 6 years. We are in the same local association of churches. I have had a hard time finding older pastors who would be willing to share their wisdom and life in mentoring me. Brad met with me several times over these years, and when I asked him to officially mentor me, I know he would have except that he was caring for his wife in her health problems and struggling through his own cancer. I was very grateful for the times he did spend with me and for his willingness to invest in a small church pastor like me.

He encouraged me in many ways, including talking about some of the experiences he has had in his larger church that sounded familiar to my experiences in a smaller one. Most pastors would admit going through the same basic challenges in ministry, but not all of them would take the time or effort to share them with me, in order to challenge and encourage my heart. Brad Quick did that, and I am certainly grateful.

Brad Quick is resting in peace, and we can be at peace knowing that God took him in just the right time and in just the right way, according to God's purposes. For those of us who loved Brad and remain, we can focus on Philippians 4:6,7 -"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the PEACE OF GOD, which surpasses [human] understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Day 98 - when suffering

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Suffering in a way that honors God:
Luke 18:1 - always pray and never lose heart
Luke 22:39-44 - follow Jesus' example of praying for your will but submitting to God's will
II Corinthians 12:7-10 - lean on God's grace, when He does not take the suffering away
I Peter 5:10 - after the right amount of suffering, God brings restoration (in His way and time)

What should we remember when we are afflicted?
Romans 8:18 - the glory that is to come
II Corinthians 4:17,18 - that even though we struggle now, we can focus on Heaven and eternal things

What results if we allow affliction to cause bitterness instead of prayer?
Hebrews 12:15 - we do not receive God's grace

Day 97 - James 5:13-18

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The context of James 5:13-18: It follows 5:7-12, which is about being patient for God to come and make things right. In this passage, whether things are right or not right in our eyes, we are to be praying. In 5:19,20, he closes with helping those who have strayed from the truth to come back to God. This fits the context because the focus turned from our personal struggles to helping others as well as confessing our sins to others.

James 5:13-18 (my paraphrase)
If you are suffering or in trouble, then pray. If you are happy, then pray. If you are weak, physically or spiritually or both, call the pastors and have them encourage you and pray over you in Jesus' name. God will restore the weak and forgive confessed sins. Also, confess your sins to one another, pray for each other, so that you can be spiritually healed. If you are right with God, your prayers can accomplish much. Elijah was weak like us - he prayed for the rain to stop and it did...for 3.5 years! Then, he prayed again, and the rain came and so did the harvest.

Day 96 - a message on James 5:7-12

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This week, I have been studying James 5:7-12. This is the 2nd week of my study, since last week I studied the passage to prepare to preach it; and then this week, working through the workout I prepared, to study and apply this passage. Today, the workout is to listen to the message from last Sunday. Although it is a little strange listening to yourself talk, it is good for me to go through the message just from the standpoint of learning and applying it to my life.

Patience is the key term that stuck out to me during this message. I have always thought myself to be fairly patient; and many others, who know me well, tell me I am very patient. But, as I listen to this message, I know I need more patience, especially when I am suffering in some way. I want God to make things right....now! I want to be more patient, just trusting in Him the whole way, knowing He will do what is best, in His timing, in His way.

Friday is Family Day

One of our traditions, as a family, is to make Fridays special. One the reasons we do that is because I, Greg, have Fridays off of work. So, it works best, when I am off, to be able to concentrate on doing things as a family. During the summer, each person in the family has a designated Family Friday, on which they can determine what we do for that day together. One of our goals, as a family, is to be a blessing to others, and one way to do that was to do some service projects together.

Isabella, whose day it was last week, goes to a Christian school that happens to be Lutheran. She and her brother, Alex, have a certain amount of Christian service projects that are required by the school. There was an elective project this summer, working with an outreach program to inner city Cleveland. One of the projects they worked on, was to send food to Haiti, especially to children who are still going hungry there. This was our family service project for the day.

It was an extra blessing because Teresa's parents, Dan and Fran, from Florida, were staying with us at the time. So, the came along with us, all 9 of us, going to a party center at a Lutheran church, in order to package meals for the hungry in Haiti. The experience as a family was just awesome. There was a time of music and worship, to begin with, along with a couple of the leaders talking about the hungry in Haiti and what we were going to be able to do, together, to minister to them.

Then, we put on head coverings, aprons and gloves, to join an assembly line, packaging food. In a little over 2 hours, the whole group that was gathered packaged 20,000 meals to send to Haiti. WOW! But, the greatest part for me, was to watch our family work together. Each table, assembly line, had 12 people at it. So, there were our 9, plus 3 other people we didn't know. At one end of the table were 4 food bins: soy, vegetable, chicken and rice. In the middle of the bins was a big funnel, down which the food would be poured from cups, and then plastic baggies for the bottom of the funnel, to gather the food. The baggie was then passed to someone to weigh the bag, because it had to be 13.8 ounces exactly. Whether it was a little under or a little over, a couple of us then took some rice out (the food at the top) or added some rice, to make it the right weight. Then, finally it was passed down to those who sealed the bags and passed on to those who were packing the boxes to be loaded onto the trucks.

It was a pretty cool set up. I watched my family smile, laugh, work hard, and most pleasingly, work together! I am so proud of them, happy to be called their son-in-law, husband, and dad!
In just a couple hours of time, we felt like we had actually helped some children stay alive in another part of the world. It was well worth the time and effort to plan, prepare, and to participate. Thanks, God, for this wonderful blessing and opportunity!

Day 95 - closing questions about James 5:7-12

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What do and don't we know about the time of Christ's return?
We know it will catch people off guard. We know it could happen at any moment. We know there will be judgment once He comes back. What we don't know is when it will happen or exactly what it will be like.

Why does grumbling at others lead to judgment?
Because we are taking God's place when we set ourselves in a place to grumble and complain about who others are or what God is doing in their lives; or how He is using them in ours.

What is encouraging to you about Job's story?
That God was completely in control, even when Job's whole world fell apart

What is one truth from James 5:7-12 that you need to apply to your life? How are you going to go about doing that?
For me, the key thing is that when I suffer at the hands of others, I must immediately go to God with it, place it in His hands, and completely trust Him.

Day 94 - some more patience

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James 5:7-12

Why should expecting the Lord's coming make your patient (5:7-9)?
Because we can trust Him to make things right, in the right time. He is God and knows what He is doing. Trusting Him to be Him allows us to wait.

Why do we consider those who persevere under suffering to be blessed (5:11)?
Because of God's perspective, not ours. God blesses those who endure suffering, according to His promise, and again, we have to trust that He will come through. Eventually, the greatest blessing is that we get to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Until then, we have blessings that come from knowing the truth, having God to go to as our refuge, and the confidence to live each day in His presence.

Patience is not a quality we naturally possess. How can we acquire it?
It comes through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. He dwells in all believers so we have the opportunity. We must walk in the Spirit, striving to obey God, confessing our sins so that we don't grieve the Spirit.

Day 93 - James and James 5:7-12

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Reading through James and thinking through how James 5:7-12 fits into the overall context:
chapter 1 - Patience is a key theme in James. In 5:7-12, we are to be patient for Jesus to come, for Him to make things right, for Him to judge. In chapter one, we are to be patient and endure in suffering because that suffering is going to bring spiritual growth.

chapter 2 - working out your faith in action is a key theme in chapter 2 as well as the entire book of James. In 5:7-12, the suffering believers are asked to put what they know to be true into practice, so that they can endure injustice.

chapter 3 - the importance and power of the tongue is key in chapter 3. In 5:7-12, the command not to grumble against others and to be full of integrity in what you say, are a couple of the main points.

chapter 4 - This chapter speaks of having the right heart attitude toward God, and and commands that we do not speak against one another or judge each other. In 5:7-12, we are also to have the right perspective on God's sovereignty and to make sure we are not judging one another.

Day 92 - patience

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Patience:
James 5:7-12 - Be patient, as suffering followers of Christ, for Jesus to come and make things right
Romans 12:19,20 - Don't get revenge - that's God's job. Be patient for Him to act.
James 1:19 - Listen carefully to the Word of God, before you say anything or act
II Peter 3:9-12 - God is patient, waiting for some to get saved; so wait patiently for Him to come

Why would 5:1-6 lead t an exhortation to be patient?
Because the non-believing rich were persecuting believers; and it would be tempting to be impatient, to retaliate or just give up under the pressure.

What are some of the circumstances that tempt you to lose patience?
People who keep talking, don't stay on point, and don't give me a chance to respond. People who are sinning, and yet unchallenged in it.

In what sense has the Lord's coming been "near" for the past two thousand years?
He could have come at any moment and he still could come at any moment.

Why shouldn't we lose patience with the Lord after almost two thousand years?
Because He is in control, knows what He is doing, has a different perspective than us; and is waiting for others to get saved

Day 91 - James 5:7-12

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James 5:7-12
The context:
James 5:1-6 speaks to the non-believing rich, about the coming judgment on them, for their hoarding, and abuse of the followers of Christ.

James 5:7-12, then, speaks to those suffering followers of Christ, telling them that since God will take care of the justice side, they can concentrate on being patient and trusting in God.

James 5:13-20 finishes with some practical things to do about their suffering, both physically and spiritually.

James 5:7-12 (my paraphrase)
Since God will judge those who have hurt you, be patient, until Jesus comes. Trust in God with the timing. Strengthen your hearts in the truth. Don't turn on each other or live in discouragement. Study the people in the Bible who suffered and yet trusted in God, without retaliation on those who hurt them. Remember Job, who lost "everything" but continued to praise and trust in God; and God demonstrated incredible compassion and mercy toward him. Be a person of integrity, that even while you are suffering,you can be trusted.

Day 90 - what to say, what to say

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This is day 90 of the extreme faith workout. That is a pretty big deal, at least for me. I've done 90 day workouts (physical) before and it is very difficult to stick with it until the end. But, in the end, I feel better, and I can see the results. This is longer than a 90 day workout because it lasts until I am done preaching through James, but today is day 90 and I feel really good about lasting this long. The workouts, based on the messages through James, on Sunday mornings, have been 6 days through the week of studying the passage, looking up other passages of Scripture, answering questions, memorizing and meditating on Scripture, and then applying it to life.


Even if no one else is doing it, it has been incredibly useful in my life. It has allowed me to not just prepare to preach and then preach, moving on to the next preparation; but it has forced me to spend an extra week thinking about, studying and applying what I already preached. I try to apply the message to my life before I preach, but it has been great to do it after I preach as well. This has been timely for me, as God has been taking me through a very growing time in my life and ministry; and James has been the perfect book to be a part of that.


Every week, I come away from a message, doubting if I communicated well. It is always a challenge, trying to decide how best to communicate the truth, trying to listen to the Spirit and say what He wants me to say. Many times that is risky, because I realize that some people might not like what I say. However, I am encouraged, that if I study, and pray, and pray some more, I can confidently say what I believe God wants me to say, and leave the rest with Him. I had to say some very uncomfortable things last week, and it is no different tomorrow. I have considered not saying them, but unless I feel that God has released me from saying them, I will go ahead with it. But for now, I pray.

Day 89 - applying James 5:1-6

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Does James, in 5:1-6, seem to be condemning all rich people? If so, why? If not, how can one be a good rich person?

It seems James is condemning all rich, but because he talks about specific issues, such as hoarding and how they treat others, he is referring to, most likely, the non-believing rich. Jesus said it was very difficult for the rich to enter Heaven, but not impossible with God. A good rich person is going to use his resources to further the kingdom of God.

What one warning, command, or truth from James 5:1-6 would you most like to take to heart?
The attitude of selfishness can happen to anyone, regardless of their financial status.

Lord, I need you. I need you to help me to keep my focus on you and your Kingdom. If that means I suffer loss, or have to endure injustice of any kind, I am willing to do that. I don't want my life, my ministry, to be about me. Help me never to get to that point, where I live in selfishness; and am not concerned about others. Everything I have is yours. I want to use what I have for your glory.

Day 88 - Jesus' stories and James 5:1-6

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James 5:1-6 is about the non-believing rich and that their judgment by God is soon coming.

Luke 12:13-34 - Jesus told a story, warning his listeners about all kinds of greed. His story was about a rich man, who became so rich, he decided to retire and just enjoy all of his riches for himself. God called him a fool and took his life that very night, leaving his riches to others. Jesus then taught his followers that they didn't need to worry about their necessities of life, because God would provide them; and instead of trying to build a kingdom for themselves, they should be working and using their resources to build the kingdom of God.

Luke 16:19-31 - Jesus told a story about a rich man who had a beggar come and eat the crumbs off his table. Both the rich and the beggar (Lazarus) died. The rich man was in torment in hell because he was a non-believer and he was allowed to see the beggar up in paradise. He asked for some relief but there was none; and Abraham explained that he was the one in comfort on earth, mistreating the poor; and now he was the one who would suffer.

These stories by Jesus go along with the condemnation of the unbelieving rich of James 5:1-6; and they are reminders to us of what attitude we ought to have toward money, toward God, and toward others. Using our resources, whatever they may be, for eternal purposes, is how we can glorify Him and live opposite of the non-believing rich who do not follow Christ.

Day 87 - 5:1-6 and the whole book of James

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James 5:1-6

1:21 - This would be the challenge to the non-believing rich - to put away their lifestyle and receive the truth of God's Word

2:1-13 - this talks about how to treat the poor, as God would, and the blessings for having the right attitude toward God. The non-believing rich are doing the opposite and have put themselves in a place where they will be shown no mercy.

3:14 - bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are key character traits of the non-believing rich

4:1-4 - this describes the non-believing rich perfectly, as they strive after their own desires, even at the expense of others. They are truly enemies of God.

5:8 - the coming of the Lord, which is an encouragement for the suffering believers, is really a terrifying judgment for the non-believing rich